Expert Who Dedicated His Life To Finding The Loch Ness Monster Has Finally Concluded…

Steve Feltham was 7 years old when his family took an excursion from his native Dorset on the English coast to the Scottish Highlands. That’s when Feltham, who is now 52, says he became obsessed with a legend that has intrigued scientists and captured the imaginations of amateur sleuths for decades — the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster.

In his late 20’s, Feltham left his home, gave up his job, lost his girlfriend, and moved closer to the banks of the large, deep, freshwater loch in northern Scotland. He has since dedicated his life to searching for evidence of “Nessie.”

According to The Daily Mail, the man whom the Guinness Book of Records credits as conducting “the longest continuous monster hunting vigil” at Loch Ness has now offered his theory as to the true identity of the creature of lore.

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Says The Daily Mail article: “A Loch Ness expert who spent 24 years watching the water for a glimpse of Nessie…says he now believes the monster is merely a large catfish. For almost a quarter of a century Steve Feltham…was convinced the waters of Loch Ness held a family of prehistoric monsters.”

One of the so-called “sightings” that helped give rise to the legend of Loch Ness was a famous black-and-white photo that started to circulate in 1934 — the “Surgeon’s Photograph” (seen below) that has since been shown to be a hoax.

Image Credit: Wiki Commons

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Now, though not claiming to have actually solved the mystery, this Loch Ness expert says his “long journey” of study, observation, and realization has led him to conclude a huge Wels catfish is what people have come to believe is Nessie, the prehistoric beast.

According to Sky News, Feltham says: “Looking at all the evidence, speaking to eyewitnesses, the most likely solution is a Wels catfish.”

This monstrous fish that can grow up to 13 feet in length and tip the scale at more than 880 pounds was, says Feltham, thought to have been introduced into Loch Ness during the Victorian era for sport fishing.

“They are very long lived and it is entirely possible they were introduced by Victorians to the loch – which would explain why the main sightings of Nessie really started in the 1930s – just as the animals were reaching maturity.

“There was a viable breeding population but I think the numbers have declined to the extent that there are now just one or two left.”

So, will the theory offered by this fellow who has spent nearly a quarter-century in search of Nessie now bring to an end the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and discourage future searches for the elusive creature?

We invite your opinion. Let us know what you think by commenting below.